1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors with a female contact element.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 4 shows a conventional connector of this type. An insulating housing has a tubular body 51 with a mouth 53 communicating with a hollow section 52 in which a female contact element 54 is placed.
The female contact element 54 has a pair of contact pieces 55 made by bending a metal strip and supported within the hollow section 52. The contact pieces 55 have free ends near the mouth 53 and are flexible. A throat portion 56 is provided near the free ends, providing an introducing portion 57 between the free end and the throat portion 56.
The inside diameter of the mouth 53 is smaller than the diameter of hollow section 52 but sufficiently large to receive a male contact element 61 of a mating connector. The diameter of the knack section 56 is smaller than the diameter of the male contact element 61.
When the male contact element 61 is inserted through the mouth 53 and introducing section 57 into the throat portion 56, the contact pieces 55 are flexed by the male contact element 61 as shown by phantom line, and the male and female contact elements 61 and 54 are connected under a predetermined contact pressure.
However, the conventional connector has the following disadvantages.
First of all, it is not certain if the female contact element 54 is placed at a regular position. Usually, the female contact element 54 is inserted into the hollow section 52 from bottom and held at a predetermined position. However, the insertion can be too short to place the introducing section 57 at the regular position, resulting in the poor connection between the female and male contact elements 54 and 61.
Secondly, the female contact element 54 and the tubular body 51 have manufacturing and assembling errors. These errors, especially between the mouth 53 and the introducing section 57, should not exceed the nominal tolerance. The position of the introducing section 57 in the free state prior to contact with the male contact element 61 should be aligned with the edge of the mouth 53. If the tip of the introducing section 57 falls inside the mouth 53, the male contact element 61 crashes the introducing section 57, damaging the female contact element 54. If the crashing force is very large, the male contact element 61 can be damaged, too.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an electrical connector enabling to check if the female contact element is placed at a regular position.
It is another object of the invention to provide an electrical connector with a wide introducing section.
According to the invention there is provided an electrical connector with a female contact element, comprises a tubular body with a hollow section having a mouth at an end of the tubular body; a air of contact pieces of the female contact element extend within the hollow section along axis of the tubular body, at least one of the contact pieces being bent towards the other contact piece near the mouth to thereby provide a throat portion which is flexed back by a pin-like male contact element of a mating connector, and at least one window provided in the tubular body at a position corresponding to the throat portion.
Whether the throat portion of the female contact element is placed at a regular position is observed through the window. If the female contact element is not at the regular position, it may be eliminated or corrected.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the window has a width greater than that of the hollow section in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the tubular body to thereby provide a wider introducing area of the contact pieces, thereby preventing the male contact from crashing the female contact element. The window is position in an X direction perpendicular to a Y direction in which the contact pieces are opposed. Alternatively, the window is positioned in the Y direction. An outer conductive shell is provided over the tubular body to adapt it to coaxial connector.